When Selina Peterman arrives in Rivers End one stormy night, it’s disorienting enough to discover she’s inherited a house. But when she learns that the house is filled to the rafters with junk—and uncomfortable family secrets—all she wants is to clean it, sell it, and get the heck out. No problem, except that she’s about to meet the biggest complication of all: the gorgeous caretaker who’s living … living there.
Connor O’Donnell knows he shouldn’t get involved with the sexy granddaughter of the man he’d looked up to for so long. He’s not sure he’s even ready for a relationship, and getting involved with someone he knows isn’t going to stick around is risky—if not outright stupid. But with the snow falling outside and Christmas on the way, it’s all too easy for the two of them to stay inside and play house. It’s only for a few days, right?
Come home to Rivers End and fall in love with this sweet, contemporary, small town, holiday romance.
A note from author CJ Hunt
Welcome to Rivers End! All my stories take place in the same small town and there is no right or wrong way to explore the stories. You can read them in chronological order, by miniseries (family or theme), or just jump in with any book, novella or story that interests you.
A Touch of Magic in Rivers End
Merry (Merry+Dillon)
Oona (Oona+Sam)
The MacAllisters of Rivers End
Silver Bells (Jenna+Isaac, Beginnings)
Tipsy (Shannon+Lucas)
Reindeer Games (Ginger+Eli)
Wedding Bells (Jenna+Isaac, HEA)
Elfed (Lindsay+Noah)
The O’Donnells
The List (Selina+Connor)
The Martinez Family
Maybe (Lucie+Daniel)
more
Selina has inherited her grandfather’s estate. The grandfather that she was told that had passed some 30 years ago. For some reason, unbeknownst to her, her parents never told her about him. When she goes to the lawyer’s office to find out about the will, she drives through a snow storm. She’s tired, cold, hungry and ready to get the house in order, clean and sold so she can go back home. What she didn’t know was that her grandfather was a hoarder. She walks into stacks and stacks of boxes.
Connor, the friend of her grandfather, is keeping up the house. But Selina doesn’t know that he’s living there instead of just coming by to check on it.
Selina who has OCD, is constantly making lists and crossing off items as they get done. She puts a list on the fridge and goes to the bedroom where she cleans, dusts, and washes the bedding while she is in the bathtub relaxing. She hears banging around the house and goes to check it out, when she sees Connor for the first time, with a green mask on her face and wrapped in a ugly green dress.
Conner almost gets hit on the head by a swinging lamp, but ducks in time. Selina thinks that he is a burglar and doesn’t take any chances.
Connor tries to explain what’s going on but she doesn’t want to hear it.
Will Selina learn the truth about her grandfather, why her parents never told her about him, learn to listen, and have a happy Christmas? Will Connor get kicked out of the house right before Christmas?
This is my honest opinion on this book and I can’t wait to read the next one.
This little novella of 16 Chapters and a fast read, was wonderful!! It’s a cute and sweet romance with a little bit of education in it. The book talks about alcoholism and recovery of alcohol. Books like this needs to be read by teens and tweens. Reason being it’s the age of peer pressure of drugs and alcohol. I know about peer press of drugs and alcohol. I have experienced it and it was awful. Right now I have been in recovery for 15 years. On Christmas day it will be 16 years. It’s great not drinking because you have to think and everything in your every day life. It’s WONDERFUL not drinking!!
This is a recommended novella!!
This was an ARC in exchange for an honest review
This was a short, sweet, sexy, small town Christmas read.
Selina and Connor had a serious case of instalust/instalove. I liked both of their characters. I actually liked all the characters in the book with the exception of Selina’s father. I liked the small town atmosphere and charm. I thought the storyline was intiguing. It also ended with an HEA. The pace of the book was seriously quick. I finished it in one sitting.
What I didn’t like was that it felt rushed and unfinished. The book gives the barest bones about pretty much everything. Selina and her parents occupation. Connor’s life before coming to River’s End. How did his brothers end up in the town? What was behind the conversation with Connor and Selina’s father? It sounded like Selina’s father did not tell Selina the complete truth about her grandfather.
There were a number of other questions I had, but I can’t mention them here without having to post a spoiler alert. I enjoyed the book, but there were so many holes and unanswered questions for me, that it felt a bit lacking. I would rather have the detail than the race to the finish.
Sometimes I think it’s not worth having some information in a book if you aren’t provided enough detail to make it worthwhile. Secrecy and honesty are focused on in this book. some of the secrecy was explained away in a couple of sentences. It wasn’t enough for me. An epilogue would have been a nice addition, but maybe epilogue don’t work with short stories.
I would give this book 3.5 stars. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book received from Hidden Gems.
Oh my gosh! This story is just so cute and so much fun. I spent pretty much the whole book giggling. But along with all the giggles, there’s a heaping dose of family drama and angst. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know driven Type-A Selina and the more laid-back Connor (and all his ‘secrets’). I loved the way this story ends and now I’m more interested than ever in reading more about the O’Donnell siblings
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Hidden Gems Books.
A short, entertaining holiday story of a granddaughter who inherits her grandfather’s house. Amidst the clutter, she discovers unopened letters, family secrets and romance. Love the little town of River’s End.